Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday denounced the opposition's stance on Pakistan, specifically their acknowledgment of Pakistan's nuclear capabilities. During an election rally in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh, Shah addressed the issue raised by Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar and Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah.
Aiyar's remarks, captured in a widely circulated video, suggested that India should accord respect to Pakistan due to its status as a sovereign nation with nuclear weapons. He expressed concern that if an unstable individual ascended to power in Pakistan and employed nuclear weapons, the consequences would be dire for India as well.
Abdullah echoed similar sentiments, stating that Pakistan possessed nuclear weapons that could be deployed against India in response to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's declaration that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) would be integrated into India.
Condemning these statements, Shah asserted that India was undeterred by Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. He maintained that POK rightfully belonged to India and vowed to reclaim it.
Shah also distanced the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Aiyar's remarks, emphasizing that they did not represent the party's views. He urged the people of Kaushambi to ensure a third consecutive victory for the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The fifth phase of polling, scheduled for May 20, includes the Kaushambi (SC) constituency. Shah appealed to voters to support the BJP candidate, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, to achieve three hat tricks: a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a third consecutive clean sweep for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, and a third term for Sonkar as the MP for Kaushambi.
